Old footage of Damar Hamlin talking about cherishing life strikes a different chord following Bills star's heart attack
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was in everyone's thoughts on Tuesday morning after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field at Paycor Stadium on Monday night. While fans at home didn't see exactly what was transpiring on the field, the looks and emotions from both the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals players said it all.
While football was the last thing on anyone's mind, it puts into perspective exactly what is at risk every time an athlete takes the field.
An interview Hamlin did with "Fresh Off the Field" resurfaced on Tuesday morning. In it, he talked about his former college/current Bills teammate Dane Jackson. Jackson suffered a serious neck injury and had to be carted off the field. In the clip, Hamlin talks about the scary experience and how he doesn't take anything for granted.
He said that the defensive backs have a weekly prayer and that during the most recent one, he grabbed Jackson's hand a little tighter. He said that you never know when your last day will be and that he just cherishes every moment he has:
“We just had our prayer, our DB prayer that we do every Wednesday. He was next to me and I just grabbed his hand a little harder because you never know when the last day could be and you’re getting to experience something like this, so I’m just, cherishing it every moment that I can."
Man this video of Damar Hamlin talking about cherishing life…really hits different.
Can’t stop thinking about this man https://t.co/rxDFUPeGaS
Dane Jackson's injury occurred on September 19, 2022 after he collided with his teammate Tremaine Edmunds. Although the injury appeared to be serious at the time, Jackson thankfully avoided any serious injuries to his head or spine.
How long has Damar Hamlin played in the NFL?
The Buffalo Bills drafted safety Damar Hamlin in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh. For most of the 2021 season, he was a backup to Micah Hyde. After Hyde suffered a season-ending injury early in the 2022 NFL season, Hamlin was named the starting safety for the Bills secondary.
Heading into Monday night's game, he led the team in solo tackles with a 63 and a combined 91 tackles.
His condition is still being listed as critical and he is still being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. After the scary incident, fans took to Halmin's GoFundMe Page for his annual Toy Drive, which he started in 2020 while he was still in Pittsburgh.
Fans support: When #DamarHamlin suffered cardiac arrest,his heartbeat restored on the field before hospitalized,his online toy drive had a $2,500 goal. Donations are now around $4m dollars (at 8am PST) donations coming in every .3 seconds.
(Photo:Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) https://t.co/NSVodgvZ5f
The page had $2,500 before the game and has now grossed over $4 million in donations. NFL fans and others are making an impact no matter how devastating the situation.
For the latest update, click here.